Baseball game



Patented Dec. 24, 1929 PATENT OFFICE WALTER J. ZARSE, OF MILWAUKEE,WISCONSIN BASEBALL GAME Application. filed December 7, 1928. Serial No.324,500.

This invention relates to a baseball game.

Objects of this invention are to provide a novel game device which is somade that a number of the plays in baseball may be simulated, in which avery high speed for the players is required, and in which judgment,accuracyof positioning, and alertness are developed to a remarkabledegree.

Further objects are to provide a game device which is of relativelysimple construc tion, and which may be easily installed upon a fioor oryard in any suitable position.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device with a part of the fence brokenaway;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional View on the line 22 of Figure 1.

The device consists of a plate 1 which is a raised member, as may beseen from Figure 2, and which is provided with a bevelled front edge 3.To this plate, which may be called the home plate or base, is attachedan angle iron or other member 4. A plurality of rods or wire members 5of suflicient rigidity to withstand the blow of a ball, are secured tothe angle iron 4 and extend upwardly to an angle iron 6, which conformsin shape to the angle iron 4. These upper or lower angle irons 4; and 6are shaped, as shown in Figure 1, with a straight central portionimmediately rearwardly of the base or home plate 1, and with forward- 1ydiverging side portions. Preferably, the ends of the angle irons i and 6are joined by vertical angle irons or stiffeners 7 so as to provide arigid construction.

This base and the fence are positioned upon a floor or upon the ground,as indicated in Figure 1 with the home plate flat and with the fencestanding vertically from the floor. It is to be understood that theexpression floor is to be be understood as meaning either an ordinaryfloor, the ground, or any other surface upon which the game 1s played.The floor is marked off into a centrally located runway or safety zone 8which extends forwardly from the base, as inclicated and 011 oppositesides of this safety zone, a series of rectangular areas are marked off,as indicated by the reference characters 9 and 10. These areas arepreferably formed into two groups, as shown. In addition to this, linesare extended outwardly from the fence and join the innermost of therectangular areas, such lines being indicated by the reference character11. These slanting lines define with the safety zone and the nextadjacent line for the areas previously mentioned, triangular areas 12.Each of the areas is marked with a suitable legend. The series on theleft hand side of the safety zone, for instance, may be markedrespectively First base, Second base, Third base, Home run. The areas onthe other side of the safety zone may be marked Territory.

The manner in which the play is conducted is as follows:

Each player alternately becomes the pitcher, throwing a rubber ball frombottom boundary line. His object is to hit the base of the home plate insuch a way that he can score a putout by catching it on the rebound. Thepitcher thereby pitches and fields his position on every play made. Thebatter and base runners are imaginary, and their positions at bat and onbases change according to plays made later in the inning. If any runsare scored they count for the pitchers opponent. lVhen three putouts aremade the opponent becomes the pitcher for his half of the inning. Theplayer not pitching acts as umpire and score marker.

The object in preventing the pitcher from running forward over bottomboundary line until after the ball makes its first contact, is toincrease the speed of the game. The object in having the safety zone isto make the player think and act quickly. He must decide instantlywhether hecan hold the safety zone at the moment of the catch to score aputout, or leave it, if the ball is out of reach, to hold the play to astrike, etc. By failing to catch the ball a home run might be scored. Infact, the pitcher must be ready at every pitch to either dash forward tocatch a low pop-up or hold a base-hit to a minimum, to run back for ahigh fly; to get a ball at the left or right side and still try to holdsome part of the safety zone to make the play a putout, etc.

The rules for playing the game are as follows:

When ball makes first contact on home plate 1. Put-0at.When caught bypitcher after ball rebounds on back wall or back stop, providing hetouches any part of safety zone at moment of catch. Same rule applieswhen ball makes but one contact on bevel. T

2. b'tm'lce.1f the player catches the ball as in No. 1, but does nothold the safety zone at the moment of the catch, a strike is counted.

3. Double play.lf a foul put-out is made with one or more runners onbase, the one occupying the highest base is out as if attempting toadvance a base after the catch. No double play when bases areunoccupied.

4t. Foal strike-If ball rebounds from home plate into foul territory.Foul does not count as third strike. See Rule 11.

5. Stri/ce-0a t.Strikes accumulate regardless of intervening plays.Three strikes make one out.

6. H its.After the ball makes its first contact on home plate andrebounds into any base territory, then the highest territory that theball touched counts that many bases as a hit. Runners on base at thetime advance a like number of bases. If ball makes but one contact onbevel and lands in fair territory, it is a hit; also, if ball makesfirst contact on back wall of home plate and then strikes fairterritory. If ball makes but one contact on top of the home plate walland is caught, it counts as a single. If a ball rebounds from the homeplate into foul territory, it counts as a hit if it rolls fair.

7. Ballc.-The pitcher must stand behind bottom boundary line until thepitched ball makes its first contact. Then he may advance over bottomboundary line. If he violates this rule a balk is called. The ruleapplying to a balk in indoor baseball is used, sending batter to firstand advancing runners one base.

When ball does not make first contact on home plate 8. Ball.A ball iscounted when the ball makes its first contact on the ground or floorarbund the plate, rebounding on the back wall or back stop, and iscaught while pitcher touches safety zone.

9. Base on balls is counted on the single pitch if the ball is caughtwhile pitcher is not touching safety zone. If other balls were calledthey still count.

10. Balls accumulate like strikes as in Rule 5. Four balls allow a baseon balls.

11. lVe'lcl pz't0h.'If the ball rebounds into foul territory aftermaking first contact on the ground or floor around the plate, a ball iscounted for the batter and all runners on base advance one base.

12. Passed ball is counted when the pitched ball justgoes over the backwall and makes its first contact on the back stop, bouncing back andforth behind the plate. Batter receives a ball and runners advance.

13. Batter hit by ball is counted on the single pitch if the ball makesits first contact on the back stop. Batter goes to first base on theplay. If on the rebound the ball touches a base territory higher thanfirst base, it is considered an error by the pitcher. The runners thenadvance the number of bases in addition to those over first base,according to the territory in which the ball touches.

14. Err0r.1f at any time an error made, the batter goes to first and allrunners advance one base. If the ball touches a ter ritory higher thanfirst base, then all runners advance the extra bases in addition. 7

E wample-If the pitcher drops a ball when a runner is on first base andthe ball rolls into second base, then the runner goes to second andbatter to first for the error. They both advance two bases in addition,placing the batter on third and the runner from first scores.

It will be seen that a novel form of baseball game has been provided bythis inven tion which develops extreme accuracy for throwing, forlocating or positioning the ball, and also develops the utmost inalertness.

Further, it will be seen that the device is simple and is easy toconstruct and install.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, suchdescription is intended as illustrative rather than limiting as theinvention may be variously embodied and as the scope of such inventionis to be determined as claimed.

I claim:

1. A device for use in a baseball game comprising a plate having abevelled forward edge, and a rebound fence located back of said plate,said rebound fence having forwardly slanting sides located on each sideof said plate and having a straight central portion located directlyrearwardly of said plate.

2. A device for use in a baseball game comprising a plate having abevelled forward edge, and a rebound fence located back of sa d plate,said rebound fence having forwardly slanting sides located on each sideof said plate and having a straight central portion located directlyrearwardly of said plate, said fence being formed of an upper and alower member joined by a plurality of bars.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing and have hereunto set my hand atlililwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lViscousin. 7

l/VALTER J. ZARSE.

